Vine regrets road rage girl was jailed

JeReMY Vine says he ‘regrets’ that a road rage driver was jailed for abusing him while he cycled down a London street.

The Radio 2 presenter revealed he had wanted to apologise to Shanique Pearson after she was given nine months in prison following the incident in August last year.

Single mother Pearson, 22, was jailed in February after making a gun gesture with her hand at Vine, 52, and kicking his bicycle after he stopped at a junction in front of her Vauxhall Corsa. She was found guilty of threatening behaviour and driving without reasonable consideration.

But yesterday Vine, who is publicising his latest memoir What I Learnt, What My Listeners Say And Why We Should Take Notice, said he took no satisfaction from seeing Pearson jailed. ‘That incident, which ended up with the motorist going to jail, was an eye-opener for me,’ he said.

‘The actual business of prosecuting, which was done by the CPS, was exhausting, time-consuming and very expensive.

‘The lady was jailed because she was already on a suspended sentence... But I regret that I was a part of it.

‘My friends say, “Oh, but you were a victim of crime” but I ended up feeling I wanted to apologise to her. On the day in court she came in with a suitcase because she was expected to be sent to prison. I would have been happy with an apology.’